Boilers chasing history

November 18, 2009|By JEFF RABJOHNS Indianapolis Star

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue has a chance to reach a rare mark incollege football, one that would be a first in the program's 122 years. The Boilermakers could have a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard passer by the end of Saturday's Old Oaken Bucket game against Indiana University. Senior Joey Elliott has 2,821 yards passing, sophomore Ralph Bolden has rushed for 931 yards and junior Keith Smith has 1,015 yards receiving. "That's be a huge landmark if we made that," Elliott said." The rare triple has been reached only 40 times in major college football. Most of those times came with starters returning, but Elliott and Bolden are in their first year as starters, and Smith had just 486 yards receiving a year ago. "When we started camp we made some progress, but we were a million miles away," Purdue coach Danny Hope said. "To see us embarking on the 3,000-yard mark and having a 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver, it's a great credit to the offensive coaches and players. "They had a lot of fun doing it, but we have a good offense and those goals are attainable if we stay the course." Only one Big Ten team has accomplished the feat, Ohio State in 1995 with quarterback Bobby Hoying (3,023), running back Eddie George (1,826) and receiver Terry Glenn (1,316). SMU first achieve the triple-quadruple, as it's called, in 1968. Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.